Carol Schatz of the DCBID, said that the event brings together the people of Downtown for a common reason -- their pooches. The first time the event was held, there were 100 people in attendance; now, there are 12-times that amount.

“We just thought [Dog Day Afternoon] was a great … reflection of our burgeoning population,” Schatz said. “We wanted to create an event that made you feel welcome and made your dog feel welcome.”

It certainly appears as though Schatz’s vision has come to fruition: with dozens of vendors selling anything from dog athletic jerseys to portrait purses and friendly dogs giving each other a casual greeting sniff, the event has gone smoothly for the most part, according to Schatz.

“As the boss, I was concerned … about aggressive dogs … somebody stepping in poop or whatever,” Schatz explained. “People have been very careful to pull their dog out of a situation when the dog isn’t comfortable.”

Schatz still cannot believe how much growth the event has experienced over the past six years, and is still optimistic for even more expansion as Downtown's population swells.

“I think Angelenos and especially young people are so thrilled that we have brought back to life the center of our city,” Schatz said. “There is no limit to how many people we can have living here.”